In Iraq and Syria, more than a million people have already been displaced by militants from the Islamic State, a dangerous and fast-spreading jihadist group also called IS, ISIS or ISIL. 3 ideas behind the headlines.

Source: “ISIS consolidates,” Patrick Cockburn, London Review of Books, 2014.
Why you should read this: Need a smart in-depth analysis of the rise of ISIS and its international impact? Read this article by a veteran Middle East correspondent.

Source: “The Islamic State (Part 3),” Vice News, 2014.
Why you should watch this: Want a glimpse of what it’s like to live under sharia law in the Syrian city of Raqqa? Watch as VICE News joins the enforcers on their daily patrols.